Irregular Crossword Clue Explanation (June 2008)

Theme: PONYTA

3 across: Neverending pain! (8)

Answer: HOUNDOOM

The Pokédex entry for Houndoom in Gold (and LeafGreen) says that if its flames burn you, the pain will never go away. Houndoom relates to the theme because it has Flash Fire, the same ability as Ponyta, as well as being a Fire-type like Ponyta.

4 across: Learned by both 18 down and 3 across. (4)

Answer: HOWL

Arcanine and Houndoom learn Howl. Connected to the theme because it relates to them and they connect to the theme. :o Yes, this makes perfect sense. Shut up.

5 across: Owns the theme, but not in Yellow. (6)

Answer: BLAINE

Blaine has a level 40 Ponyta in Red and Blue (and thus FireRed and LeafGreen), but in Yellow he only has a Rapidash.

8 across: Learned by the theme at an average level of 33.4. (8)

Answer: TAKEDOWN

Ponyta learns Take Down at level 43 in R/B/Y, 34 in G/S/C, 31 in R/S/E/FR/LG, and 28 in D/P. Add those together to get 167; divide that by five to get 33.4. Yes, quite literally the average level.

10 across: Something to have before battling 5 across. (8)

Answer: BURNHEAL

Before you battle him, Blaine says something to the effect of, 'Wahaha! You better have BURN HEALs!' Blaine has a Ponyta, and Ponyta burn things, relating it to the theme.

In the anime episode 'The Ultimate Test', a swirl is shown and Ash guesses it is Poliwhirl, only to find that it is Poliwag's because the swirl changes directions when it evolves. Poliwag's Yellow version Pokédex entry, however, says that the direction of the swirl changes depending on the area it's in. It connects to the theme because they're both Kanto Pokémon. :o Well, that and the fact Ponyta was in the quiz in that episode as well - a flame was shown which turned out to be from Ponyta.

14 across: It's really not such a far-fetched move, is it? (8)

Answer: FIRESPIN

Fire Spin is move number 83; Farfetch'd is Pokémon number 83. It relates to the theme because Ponyta learns Fire Spin.

17 across: We didn't get to know what it was called until the second generation... (5)

Answer: KANTO

Outside of Japan, there was no mention of the region's name in R/B/Y - only G/S/C told us the region was called Kanto. (It was shown when viewing the Town Map in the Japanese version, however, and in Super Smash Bros.) Ponyta originated in Kanto.

19 across: The theme used to be accompanied only by pigs on the list. (6)

Answer: BOUNCE

The list is the list of Pokémon that can learn Bounce - which, in the third generation when the move was created, is limited to the Ponyta family and the Spoink family.

21 across: A treat the theme would like. (10)

Answer: LAVACOOKIE

Well, Ponyta is a Fire Pokémon, and it's a 'lava' cookie.

23 across: It can jump over Uluru but not use this move? (10)

Answer: HIJUMPKICK

The FireRed Pokédex entry for Ponyta says it can 'clear Ayers Rock in one leap' (the proper name for the rock is Uluru). Ponyta can also use some Fighting-type kicking moves (Double Kick and Low Kick, although Low Kick was event-only). It can also jump high, so why not let it learn Hi Jump Kick?

24 across: This sure isn't helping the theme's type. (11)

Answer: STEALTHROCK

Stealth Rock inflicts double damage (1/4 of total HP) on Pokémon that are weak to Rock every time they switch in, and Fire-types like Ponyta are weak to Rock, meaning Stealth Rock makes things a bit difficult for most of them.

26 across: Learns it (and more) at level 12? (10)

Answer: BUTTERFREE

Poisonpowder is the numerical equivalent of Ponyta; that is, it's move #077, while Ponyta is Pokémon #077. Butterfree learns Poisonpowder, along with Stun Spore and Sleep Powder, at level 12.

27 across: Recent partners in crime? (9)

Answer: INFERNAPE

The Ponyta and Chimchar lines are the only Fire-types in the Sinnoh dex.

28 across: How does the theme hold berries to use this, anyway? (11)

Answer: NATURALGIFT

Come on. Ponyta is a burning horse.

2 down: ...were they saints or wizards? (9)

Answer: NINETALES

The Yellow version Pokédex entry for Ninetales says that according to legend it was created when 'nine noble saints' were reincarnated as this Pokémon. The Sapphire Pokédex entry, on the other hand, claims it was created when 'nine wizards' possessing 'sacred powers' merged into one. So which one is it? Ninetales is the same type as Ponyta and also has the Flash Fire ability.

3 down: The master of 23 across. (9)

Answer: HITMONLEE

Hi Jump Kick can be said to be Hitmonlee's signature move, and Hi Jump Kick is a word in a Ponyta-themed crossword.

4 down: Kind of like 26 across with a 3 in front. (9)

Answer: HEALBLOCK

26 across revolves around the move equivalent to Ponyta, Poisonpowder, which is move #077. Move 377, on the other hand, is Heal Block.

5 down: The theme is lucky to have what this learns at level 54... or maybe not that much. (7)

Answer: BAYLEEF

Bayleef learns Solarbeam at level 54 in Diamond and Pearl. Ponyta has been able to learn the Solarbeam TM since Ruby and Sapphire. Solarbeam is a good move for a Fire-type to have, since it works with the Fire-empowering Sunny Day and is super effective against all the types Fire is weak to, but unfortunately Ponyta's Special Attack isn't that great.

6 down: No need for smoke and mirrors. (7)

Answer: RUNAWAY

The item Smoke Ball, when attached to a Pokémon, allows it to escape from any wild battle. So does the ability Run Away, however, so with the ability there is no need for a Smoke Ball if running away is your thing. Run Away is one of Ponyta's abilities.

7 down: Add 10% for the theme. (10)

Answer: WEEPINBELL

Weepinbell is Pokémon #070 in the National Pokédex. Ponyta is #077. 70 * 1.1 = 77.

9 down: The only natural STAB move the theme can use to take advantage of its better attacking stat. (10)

Answer: FLAREBLITZ

Ponyta is a Fire-type Pokémon, and Flare Blitz is the only physical Fire move it learns naturally.

11 down: Stunky's only natural STAB move. (10)

Answer: NIGHTSLASH

Night Slash is the only STAB move Stunky learns (the other Dark and Poison moves it learns being non-damaging), and Stunky is found on Route 214 in Diamond, where Ponyta is also found. Yes, this makes perfect sense. <_<

Gyarados is a Water Pokémon, and Water moves used to be special, while Gyarados has a much higher Attack than Special Attack. Ponyta also suffered from the same thing before Diamond and Pearl.

15 down: Same base HP as the theme, same first letter and same third letter. (6)

Answer: PINECO

All of those are true. Both Pineco and Ponyta have 50 base HP, the first letter is P, and the third is N.

16 down: Evolves from the theme. (8)

Answer: RAPIDASH

Rapidash evolves from Ponyta. If you did not know this already, you should not be attempting the crossword.

18 down: A legendary Pokémon... but only in China. (8)

Answer: ARCANINE

According to Yellow, Arcanine is a 'legendary Pokémon in China'. Arcanine is, like Ponyta, a Fire-type and also shares the ability Flash Fire with it.

20 down: How the heck does the White Herb survive the first use? (8)

Answer: OVERHEAT

White Herb is often attached to Pokémon that use Overheat to negate the Special Attack drop, but how the heck does a herb survive an attack like Overheat? Related to the theme because Ponyta learns it.

22 down: In Soviet Russia, theme relates to YOU! (8)

Answer: REVERSAL

This kind of joke is called a 'Russian Reversal', and it doesn't really have anything to do with Ponyta (except that Arcanine and Hitmonlee, who are also in this Ponyta-themed crossword, both learn it), but the reference was too good to pass up. Sorry.

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